With the proliferation of electronic computing and communication devices has come the need for such devices to communicate and exchange data. Traditional wired networks have addressed this need by enabling connected devices to communicate with the network and with each other. Wired networks are limited, however, in that a device must have a wire connection to the network in order to utilize the network to communicate and exchange data. Thus, a device may only connect to such a network at specific locations that have been provided with wire connections to the network.
To address this limitation of traditional wired networks, the wireless network was developed. Wireless networks allow devices with wireless capability to connect to the network and to utilize the network to communicate and exchange data, without the requirement of a wire connection to the network. Instead, the connection to the wireless network is made via the transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves (e.g. radio waves and/or microwaves).
The vast majority of wireless networks utilize some type of wireless access point (WAP) to enable wireless devices to connect to the network. In most instances, a WAP acts as a central hub to receive wireless transmissions from wireless devices and to connect the wireless devices to a traditional infrastructure wired network. While the use of WAPs is increasing, there are still many locations where, due to the physical limitations inherent in broadcasting and receiving radio waves, connection to a WAP is not possible. Further, there are instances where connection to a WAP is not desirable due to security concerns or the requirement of registering a device with a wireless network. Accordingly, there are instances and locations where connection to a network is not possible due to the absence of either a wired network or a satisfactory wireless network.
Notwithstanding the inability in certain situations to connect to a traditional infrastructure network, wireless devices may utilize an independent basic service set (IBSS), also known as an ad hoc cell, to engage in wireless communication with each other. An IBSS allows devices with wireless capability to exchange wireless signals with other wireless devices, in the absence of a traditional WAP or infrastructure network. This is achieved through the creation of an ad hoc wireless cell. However, the setup of an IBSS is a complex process that requires the user to manually enter multiple operational parameters, including the assignment of IP addresses for devices that desire to associate with the IBSS. This complexity, combined with the network knowledge required to create an IBSS, has deterred potential users from utilizing this functionality.